Donald Atkins – Benton, IL

He married Ruth Ann Hurst on July 2, 1954, in Benton, and she survives.

Mr. Atkins was a Korean War Veteran. He was a Staff SGT in the Air Force. He was a retired postal employee. He was a member of Immanuel Baptist Church. He was an avid fisherman and gardener.

Donald is survived by his wife, Ruth Ann Atkins of Benton; two children, Mark Alan Atkins of Benton and his fiancée, Tammy Milam, Mary Annet (Atkins) Lofton and husband, Perry, of Sharpe, Kentucky; eight grandchildren, Jennifer Rice and husband, Jeremy, of Huntsville, Alabama, Jeremy Miller and wife, Jessica of Hendersonville, Tennessee, Nicole Lofton, and Valerie Miller, both of Nashville, Tennessee, Megan Warder and husband, Dustin, of Owensboro, Kentucky, Neil Atkins and wife, Lindsey, of Harrisburg, Zac Atkins and wife, Chalet, of Harrisburg, and Holly Wilburn and husband, Nate, of West Frankfort; 14 great-grandchildren; one brother, Tom Atkins and wife, Rosemary, of Mount Vernon; one sister, June Hamlin of Waltonville; and several nieces and nephews.

Mr. Atkins was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Lowell Atkins and Bobby Gene Atkins; and two sisters, Ila Newell and Ethel Marie Hall.

Funeral services will be at 4 p.m. Sunday, June 12, in Immanuel Baptist Church in Benton, with Dr. Sammy Simmons officiating. Burial with military rites will be in the Franklin Cemetery in Whittington. Visitation will be from 2 to 4 p.m. Sunday at the church.

For those who wish, memorials may be made to the Immanuel Baptist Church.

For more information or to sign the online guest register, visit www.mortonjohnstonfuneralhome.com.